Brothels sending escorts to homes in COVID-19 legal loophole

Brothels sending escorts to homes in COVID-19 legal loophole

People are sacrificing seeing their families and friends but it is legal to order a hooker to your home.

This is an example of the confusing restrictions in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Touch More Class has been forced to close its Surry Hills venue due to the NSW government shutdown, but the brothel is still sending workers to clients homes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

New coronavirus restrictions came into effect on March 26, ruling massage parlours, strip clubs and brothels illegal.

Liaisons providing a coronavirus update to staff.

But to get around the new laws, the brothel said in a "coronavirus update" on its website that girls will travel to meet clients at their houses, apartments, hotels and serviced apartments.

"Due to the government restrictions we are prohibited from using our promises," the statement said. "Therefore, we will come to you! Sit back, relax and we will send a lady."

Confusingly, the new rules do not allow workers to have sex at the brothel, but they are allowed to drive to a clients house for work purposes.

A Touch More Class website has a message about government restrictions reassuring clients they will come to them.

People self-distancing at home can scroll through the list of workers online charging $350 for an hour increasing to a whopping $950 for three hours.

A Touch More Class spokeswoman said they were mostly sending their girls to regular clients.

"If they (the clients) don't look well they won't go in. It's up to them if they go in and stay. We'll continue to operate as long as we have girls that want to work - we'll stay open for them," the spokeswoman said.

Liaisons in Edgecliff is also operating escort services during the pandemic.

A spokeswoman for Surry Hills' Ginza-479 brothel told The Daily Telegraph they were also sending girls out to jobs after the virus outbreak, with nine girls working on Tuesday.

On the other hand, a Petersham brothel has stopped sending escorts to "stop the issue as quickly as possible".

"We have been shut since midnight on Wednesday 25th of march. The government shut places like ours but has not stopped the private girls or establishments sending girls going to see clients at their homes or hotels which defeats the purpose of us being shut," the Gateway Club spokesman said.

"It's frustrating because we had put into practice strong precautions such as taking the temperature of any person that comes into our establishment, hand sanitising on entry and constant sanitisation of the club in general, but then it's not illegal for girls to go and see individuals privately which is ridiculous as there would be absolutely no precautions taken.

"I refuse to put my girls and clients at risk like that and I have shut the business completely temporarily. I have noted that other large establishment's have done as I've done but there are a few that are still choosing to send girls out as escorts."

NSW Health did not provide a response to The Daily Telegraph before the deadline.